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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · fan · board · key · object · bore · court · staff

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. object — a thing
  4. key — in music
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bore — to drill
  7. object — an aim
  8. board — to get on
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. key — for a lock
  12. court — for sport
  13. staff — employees
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bore — to tire
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — a phone
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. court — of a king
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. court — of law
  23. key — the most important part
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com